Coastal Dung Beetle vs Oso Polar

Onthophagus nigriventris compared with Ursus maritimus

Key Differences

• Coastal Dung Beetle is Least Concern while Oso Polar is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Coastal Dung Beetle	Oso Polar
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (artrópodos)	Chordata (cordados)
Class	Insecta (insecto)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Coleoptera (coleópteros)	Carnivora (carnívoros)
Family	Scarabaeidae	Ursidae (Bears)
Genus	Onthophagus	Ursus (Bears)
Species	Onthophagus nigriventris	Ursus maritimus

Evolutionary Relationship

Coastal Dung Beetle and Oso Polar share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Coastal Dung Beetle

LC — Least Concern

Oso Polar

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Coastal Dung Beetle	Oso Polar
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	25 years
Average Length	—	2.4 m
Average Weight	—	450.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Coastal Dung Beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found in United States.

Oso Polar

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Norway. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Coastal Dung Beetle

Onthophagus nigriventris, the coastal dung beetle, is a scarabaeid beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Scarabaeinae, recorded from coastal habitats in the United States. Dung beetles in the genus Onthophagus, comprising over 2,000 species and representing the most species-rich genus of beetles globally, play critical ecological roles as decomposers, burying mammal dung to provision nests in which females lay eggs and larvae develop. By transporting dung underground, Onthophagus beetles contribute to nutrient cycling, soil aeration, secondary seed dispersal from seeds present in dung, and reduction of parasite loads in livestock. The coastal association of O. nigriventris may reflect its association with marine mammal haul-out sites, seabird colonies, or the dung of coastal wildlife such as deer, raccoons, and feral animals in beach and dune systems. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Dung beetle communities have declined significantly in parts of North America and Europe due to widespread veterinary use of ivermectin and related antiparasitic drugs in livestock, which persist in dung and are lethal to beetle larvae developing within treated dung pats.

Oso Polar

El mayor carnivoro terrestre de la Tierra, el oso polar puede superar los 700 kg y se encuentra en el hielo marino del Artico, desde Canada hasta Rusia. Es un mamifero marino altamente especializado que depende del hielo marino para cazar focas anilladas y barbadas. Excelente nadador capaz de cubrir grandes distancias en agua abierta. Clasificado como Vulnerable, sus poblaciones soportan una presion severa por la rapida perdida de hielo marino artico debida al cambio climatico.